On with the show. :)

Amanda visited team practices every week or so after that. The team was glad to have her back, and Kasey came frequently, too. The two girls got along well and kept each other entertained during the boring parts of practice.

One morning, Amanda noticed that Kasey was quieter than usual. "You look tired," she observed.

"Yeah," Kasey said. "I've had some late practices. And I've been applying for dance scholarships. I want to go to a really good school of dance."

Amanda nodded. She thought the explanation sounded forced. "I'm ready for a bathroom break; how about you?"

"Sure." Kasey stood and followed Amanda to the public restroom near the concessions stand.

"So, Kelly says he wants to start a bike shop," Amanda said as she washed her hands. "You think he will?"

"Probably," Kasey said from inside her stall. "He usually does whatever he wants." She emerged and joined Amanda at the sink. She started to roll up one sleeve, then stopped and pushed it back down.

"Kasey… is that a bruise?"

"Um, yeah," Kasey said sheepishly. "Caught my arm in a door."

Amanda raised one eyebrow. "Must have been a heavy door. It's huge."

"What can I say—I'm a klutz."

Amanda didn't press her further, but when practice was over and the team was breaking up she pulled Kelly away from the others.

"OK, what is it?" Kelly asked, sounding annoyed.

"Have you ever known Kasey to be a klutz?"

"Uh… no," he said slowly. "Actually, less than most people. That's probably why she's so good at dancing… that or dancing makes her less clumsy. Whatever."

"Yeah. That's what I thought." She told Kelly about the bruise she'd seen on Kasey's forearm.

"Not a chance," Kelly said immediately. "She didn't shut it in a door."

"So, what is she hiding?"

"Either she was doing something crazy she doesn't want us to know about, or she's protecting the person who hurt her."

"OK, so she was trying out some crazy new kind of dance and almost fell and someone grabbed her arm to keep her from hitting her head on the floor…"

Kelly shook his head. "That's really far-fetched."

"I know." Amanda started again. "So maybe her father had too much to drink and got out of control?"

"Nah… He's not the best dad in the world, but I don't think he'd get violent, even if he was drunk."

"Someone else, then?"

"We're both thinking it."

"I'm only thinking it because I know you are," Amanda snapped. "But… yeah. OK. I guess it would make sense, since this kind of thing hasn't happened before, and she's only been dating him a few weeks. What should we do?"

"Pound the snot out of him."

"We can't do that—we don't have proof. We don't even have Kasey's say-so."

"So, we get it." With that, Kelly walked away to his bike and sped off.

"Where's he off to in such a hurry?" Tanner asked.

Amanda forced a smile. "Dunno. Let's go get ice cream."

The Bears still within earshot heartily agreed and they turned as one in the direction of the nearest soft-serve. Amanda followed them, trying to keep her mind off Kasey and what Kelly might be doing.

Kasey's home was only about a mile from the diamond, so she often walked there and back if she wasn't in a hurry. Kelly soon caught up with her. He pulled just ahead of her and cut his engine.

"Kas."

Kasey looked uncertain. "Yeah… what?"

Kelly hesitated. Now that he had her cornered, he didn't know what to say. "I… I was wondering how you've been."

She looked skeptical.

"I mean… you've been acting kind of… tired. And sore," he added, suddenly realizing that he'd subconsciously noticed her slow movement the last couple of times he'd seen her.

She stared at him blankly. "I'm fine. Why do you care?"

"What do you mean?"

"I'm just an old fling. Why do you care if I'm tired?"

Kelly looked at the ground. "I still think of you as a friend. I'm just worried."

Kasey laughed, but she didn't sound amused. "Your friend, huh? I'd hate to see how you treat your enemies. You've been acting like a total stranger."

He was about to answer when Bobby Meyers pulled up behind Kasey in his car. Kelly gritted his teeth. He bet Bobby only had a learner's permit.

"Hey, Kase—want a lift?"

"I'll take you home," Kelly said quickly. "Come on…" He reached out for her.

Kasey pushed his hand away. "Just leave me alone, Kelly. You're not helping." She hurried away and got into Bobby's car.

Kelly heard the stick-shift's gears grinding as Bobby drove off. Definitely couldn't have his license yet, if he'd been tested in a standard. Idiot's gonna wreck that car before he can legally drive it by himself.

Not that Kelly could claim to be better—he'd been riding his motorcycle on public roads since he was ten.

He rode away slowly, wondering what to do. It seemed that as long as Kasey wouldn't talk about the problem, he'd have to keep an eye on her and get proof for himself.

The plot thickens! xp hope you're enjoying. Comments welcome.